Footfall drops as heatwave keeps shoppers away

Total footfall for the month fell 2.6% in May, up from a 10.7% drop in April. High street footfall decreased by 1.5% for the period, up from -9.2% in April, according to the latest BRC-Sensormatic Footfall Monitor data.

In the period retail park footfall decreased by 0.5% year-on-year, up from a 9% drop in April. Shopping centre footfall dropped 2.4% in the period, up from a 10.1% dip the previous month.

By region, footfall rose in Scotland by 0.4%, while all other regions experienced declines. It fell 1% in Northern Ireland, 3% in England and 5% in Wales.

BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson blamed the fall in footfall on the extreme weather, as well as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and rising inflation.

She said: “While total UK footfall remained down on last year, it was a significant improvement on April’s double-digit drop. While the warmer weather initially encouraged more people to the shops, the record-breaking temperatures at the end of the month resulted in a sharp decline in footfall, particularly at shopping centres and retail parks. Only high streets bucked the trend, as those who were out and about took the opportunity to pop into their local stores.

“Households remain anxious about the long-term impact of the Iran conflict and inflation and expect prices to rise over the year. By tackling the inflationary pressures on the horizon, the government can help rebuild consumer confidence, ultimately supporting footfall. The first priority must be to address non-commodity charges which are pushing up energy costs to an unsustainable level. The window for the government to act is narrowing, and any delay will only harm retailers and their customers.”